When you arrive at a hotel and, before you even set foot inside, you’re greeted by the softest, most angelic puppy, you know it’s meant to be! Well this is how my overnight stay at The Pheasant Hotel in Harome began, and the joy that I felt in meeting that puppy certainly set a precedent for how the rest of my stay would be.
Last weekend was my birthday, and my boyfriend, Billy, planned a surprise trip to Harome to stay at The Pheasant Hotel and dine at The Star Inn, which I’ve written a separate blog post about. Both the meal and the hotel were outstanding, so I just had to write about them both! Here’s what I thought of The Pheasant Hotel, Harome, and why you should consider treating yourself to a night away in this beautiful country hotel.
Disclaimer: the puppy belonged to the owners of the hotel who had dropped by for lunch and is unlikely to be there to welcome you to The Pheasant Hotel if you choose to stay there!
If you’re looking for other things to keep you entertained during your stay at The Pheasant Hotel in Harome, have a read of this blog post about things to do in Helmsley, just a couple of miles away.
First Impressions of The Pheasant Hotel, Harome
After several minutes of playing with the aforementioned puppy, Billy coaxed me away from my new friend to check in to the hotel. Upon entering, we were greeted with a friendly smile and an immediate feeling of warmth and luxury. I dashed straight to the toilets, as it had been a long car journey, where I enjoyed a beautiful wooden toilet seat with a handle on it (!) and luxury hand soap, whilst Billy checked us in.
Before being taken to our room, we were given a quick tour of the ground floor of The Pheasant Hotel, Harome. This included the most magnificent bar area featuring two armchairs, beckoning us to sink in to with a drink, beside a roaring log fire. The bar area had a low ceiling embellished with dark, wooden beams, a fantastically grand coffee table in front of the fire, pretty window seats, flowers, candles and, of course, a bar.
Most importantly, the drinks on offer at the bar were perfectly suited to our tastes! After we’d been shown around and freshened up in our room, we headed straight back down to the bar, where Billy enjoyed a hand-pulled local ale and I had a glass of Rosé sparkling Pinot Grigio, one of the best sparkling wines I’ve tasted.
Next we were shown the light and airy conservatory, where we would be enjoying breakfast the next morning – something I can’t wait to tell you about when I get on to the food! We were told that if we wanted to order any food, we could enjoy this in the conservatory, the bar, the dining room or the lounge, which we would be shown to next. My favourite thing about the conservatory was the stunning wine trolley in the centre of the room, which matched the tables and made me desperately want a wine trolley in my little flat!
Finally, we were shown to the lounge. This rather large room managed to perfectly combine the feeling of a light and open space with comfort and cosiness, thanks to its large windows, sinkable sofas and another roaring log fire. This room would be perfect for enjoying an afternoon tea, getting stuck in to a good book or, in my case, posing next to bookshelves on a ladder after a few glasses of wine.
Our Room at The Pheasant Hotel, Harome
There are sixteen rooms at The Pheasant Hotel, Harome, including two dog-friendly suites, a cottage with it’s own terrace overlooking the Chef’s garden, and a two-storey luxury suite. Each room is individually decorated, some with four-poster beds and sofa beds as well. We stayed in Blakey, a beautifully furnished room with fabulous furniture and a country chic design ensuring that we didn’t forget we were in a luxury, Yorkshire hotel.
Every detail of the room was considered, from radio that was playing Classic FM as we opened the door, to the perfectly heated radiators to warm us on a cold January afternoon. A very fancy selection of teas, coffee (proper coffee and a Cafetière) and hot chocolate sat upon an elegant coffee table, alongside some even fancier biscuits! Real milk was in the mini fridge, along with two glass bottles of Harrogate spring water to help ourselves to, and the usual minibar snacks and drinks.
Of course the first thing I did, after checking out the biscuit selection, was test the bed. It was topped with a multitude of cushions, which I threw off/carefully removed and lay down. I almost told Billy to cancel our long-awaited reservation at The Star Inn so that I could spend the rest of the day on that bed.
The mattress was the perfect firmness, providing the feeling of weightlessness, Billy and I agreed that the pillows were also perfect despite us having very different pillow preferences, the crisp, white sheets were oh-so inviting, and I could admire the ducks splashing on the duck pond outside from bed too. I can confirm that I had an exceptional night’s sleep in that bed.
Finally, the bathroom. It was lovely and warm, and the toilet paper sat on top of a wooden windowsill directly above the radiator, resulting in lovely warm toilet paper! The bath and shower products provided were all Cowshed, which was a real treat, and the bathroom was all finished to a very high spec.
We treated ourselves to a birthday bath, and were overjoyed to find that the bathtub was not only big enough for the both of us, but was wide enough that we could actually lie next to each other. Soft, fluffy towels completed the whole experience.
Breakfast at The Pheasant Hotel, Harome
Thirteen courses at The Star Inn the previous night and a bit of (a lot of) a hangover meant that I didn’t feel best placed for a mega breakfast the next morning. Regardless of that, we headed downstairs to the charming conservatory and sat down at a beautifully set table.
I helped myself to some freshly squeezed orange juice and perused the breakfast menu, constantly changing my mind between waffles with Nutella and strawberries, and a classic Eggs Benedict. In the end, I ordered the full english!
Breakfast was fabulous, with a well thought out buffet of cereal, fresh pastries, one of the biggest wedges of cheeses I’ve ever seen, smoked salmon and deliciously sweet hams. I nibbled a few bits from there, but decided to save myself for the full english, given my already full stomach and hangover.
The breakfast arrived and it was fantastic. Thick bacon, meaty sausages, perfectly poached eggs, grilled black pudding, fried bread and silky baked beans. I just about managed to finish it, with a few short breaks along the way.
More Reasons to Love The Pheasant Hotel, Harome
If you need any more reasons to love The Pheasant Hotel, here are a few:
- The sandwiches! When we arrived on the Saturday we ordered a quick sandwich and chips to enjoy in the bar area. I had a smoked salmon sandwich, whilst Billy had a cheese and pickle sandwich. Both were served on the softest, doorstop bread, were packed full of fillings and were so satisfying! The chips were excellent too: classically fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
- There’s an indoor heated pool! We didn’t have the chance to use it, but I love that in the bedrooms there’s a basket filled with towels especially for the occasion.
- There’s a beautiful outdoor terrace, perfect for enjoying a drink in the summer, with views over the duck pond and the fields behind. With it being January, we didn’t get to make the most of this, but it was a beautiful space.
- There’s a line up of wellies at reception in a variety of sizes, so that you can explore the surrounding countryside whatever the weather.
- The service. Not only was every staff member that we met incredibly friendly and helpful, genuinely caring that we had a lovely time, but when I phoned up in a panic that I’d left my purse at the hotel, the lady on reception personally went to the room we stayed in to look for it, and popped it straight in the post to me.
So why not treat yourself to a night at The Pheasant Hotel in Harome? I’ll definitely be returning, and can’t wait to try their evening food menu next time! And if you’re looking for other UK travel posts, you might enjoy the below:
- A Serendipitous Night in Dalby Forest
- My First Solo Trip: A Slow Weekend in Devon
- How to Have a Perfect Weekend in Southwold
- Sleeping on the Caledonian Sleeper: A Guest Post
- Crib Goch & Snowdon: Where to Stay, What to Expect, Where to Eat
- 67 Things to Do in Leeds City Centre
Nell xx
